Akanu Ibiam Int’l Airport: S’East stakeholders allege sabotage

Akanu-Ibiam-International-Airport

By Chimaobi Nwaiwu

Some stakeholders in South East have raised alarm over an alleged plot by some people in Nigeria, especially the Federal Ministry of aviation staff, to sabotage flight activities at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, to give the impression that it was not suitable to render international services.

South East stakeholders at the airport have consequently appealed to South East Governors Forum to equip the airport with vehicles that will convey passenger from the landing ground to the arrival hall, as well as other facilities, as the present condition of the airport was an embarrassment to the entire South East and Nigeria at large.

Spokesman of the stakeholders and Chairman of Osakwe Industrial Cluster, Onitsha, Mr. Johnson Okolo, who recently came back from a trip overseas and landed at the airport with other passengers from within and outside the country, including the wife of late Ikemba Nnewi, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu and former Ambassador of Nigeria to Spain, Mrs. Bianca Ojukwu, made the call while addressing newsmen in Onitsha.

He said “Akanu Ibam International Airport is the only Federal Government establishment in the South East that is functioning, and should not be allowed to be grounded, especially when some people are not happy that South East has an International Airport.

“Some people working in the airport are sabotaging its activities. There is a grand plan by some people to sabotage operations at the airport and we are warning that enough is enough of this sabotage. We are also calling on the Federal Government to expedite action on the work at the airport and also investigate the activities of all the aviation workers and other officials in the airport to know why some anomalies are going on in the airport.”

He said that he, Mrs. Ojukwu and other countries nationals who used the airport were stranded for 1.30 minutes waiting for the only bus that is used in conveying the passengers from the landing ground to the arrival hall, until a private vehicle was brought by somebody to drop them at the arrival hall.

“Keeping the late Ikemba’s wife and former Ambassador of Nigeria to Spain hours was an insult to Igbo people and Nigeria in general, keeping foreign nationals for so long in the airport because only one bus is being used for that shuttle service was an embarrassment for Nigeria as a country.

“Even when the lone bus used for that shuttle service from the landing ground to the arrival hall finally arrived, it had faulty air conditioner and the doors of the bus had to be opened for air to come in for the passengers, just as dust also came in for the passengers to inhale, that was another embarrassment to the country.”